Draft pole or tongue.



. H. ANDERSON. DRAFT POLE OB. TONGUE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14', 1909 Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

(SIM/name; I

v WW 174725. wig/ 5022 HANS ANDERSON, 0F MALCOLM, NORTH DAKOTA.-

DRAFT POLE OR TONGUE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 14, 1909.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 517,636.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANS ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Malcolm, in the county of McLean and State of North Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Draft Poles or Tongues, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a draft pole or tongue adapted particularly for use upon agricultural implements, in place of a wheeled truck, the object of the invention being to provide a sectional tongue embodying a fixed section and a swinging section, combined with means for cushioning the movements of the swinging section to relieve the strain from the horses necks and means for holding the movable section rigid when desired.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan View of a draft pole or tongue embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the front beam or any suitable portion of the frame of the implement to which the tongue is attached, said tongue comprising a fixed rear section 2 secured to the portion 1 and a movable main or front section 3. The section 2 is bolted or otherwise secured to the central portion of an arched or bowed brace 4 secured at its ends to the portion 1. The rear end of the section 3 is provided on its upper and lower surfaceswith bracing and wear plates 5 and 6, while the front end of the section 2 is provided with corresponding plates 7 and 8, which plates are respectively united to said sections by vertical bolts 9 and 10, the section 3 and its plates 5 and 6 being further provided with registering openings 11, for a purpose hereinafter described. The rear ends of the plates 5 and 6 project beyond the section 3 and overlap the plates 7 and 8 and are apertured for passage of the bolt 10, thus pivotally connecting the section 3 to the section 2 for lateral swinging movement.

Diagonally arranged springs 12 connect the rear end of the tongue section 3 with the bracing bow 4 on opposite sides of the tongue section 2, the rear ends of said springs being preferably hooked for en gagement with openings 13 in the bow, while the forward ends of said springs are connected with an eye-bolt 14 passing through one of the openings 11 in the tongue section 3. These springs yieldingly restrict the lateral movements of the tongue section 3, and, while allowing it to swing to accommodate itself to the movements of the animal, prevent thrashing of the tongue and consequent injury to the animals. They also serve to cushion the movements of the said tongue section 3 to relieve the animals of the usual strain upon their necks. By passing the bolt through one or the other of the openings 11, said bolt is rendered adjustable to regulate the tension of the springs.

A locking device is provided to rigidly connect the two tongue sections to prevent independent movement of the section 3 when it is desired to prevent pivotal motion of the section 3, which is desirable under some conditions. This locking device comprises a bell-crank locking lever 15 having an operating arm or handle 16 and a locking arm or toe 17. This lever is pivoted at the intersection of its arms between a pair of bracket plates 18 secured to the tongue section 2 on a pin 19 carried by said plates, and the arm or toe 17 thereof is adapted to engage a keeper slot or recess 20 in the rear edge of plate 5.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the locking lever in retracted position, from which it will be seen that said lever is tilted backward with its arm 17 projecting vertically and its arm 16 horizontally disposed and resting on the fixed tongue section. Upon throwing the arm 16 forward, the lockin arm 17 will be thrown into engagement with the recess 20 and hold the tongue section 3 rigidly against movement. A transverse draft bar 21 is pivoted to hangers 22 secured to the tongue section 2 and carries at each end a doubletree 23 provided with the usual whiflietrees 24.

From the foregoing description, the construction and mode of use of my improved draft tongue will be readily understood, and it will be seen that a tongue is provided which ordinarily may be permitted to have free swinging movement to relieve the necks of the animals from strain, which may be locked against movement when desired.

The device will be found useful in connection With agricultural and other implements to relieve the draft animals of a greater portion of the strain imposed upon them in the use of expansible tongues.

I claim A draft tongue comprising a fixed section, a bracing boW connected therewith, upper and lower Wear plates upon the outer end of the fixed section a bolt fastening the same thereto, a movable section, upper and lower Wear plates upon said movable section projecting beyond the end of the same and overlapping the plates of the fixed section, said plates pivotally engaging said bolt, and the upper plate having a keeper recess formed therein, bolts engaging the plates With the movable section, one of said bolts having an adjustable engagement With said section, springs connecting said adjustable bolt with the bracing bow, spaced bracket plates upon the fixed section, a cross pin between said plates, and a locking device pivotally mounted upon said pin between said plates and having an angularly bent end to interlock with said keeper recess.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HANS ANDERSON.

Witnesses L. W. TECK, CARL A. FUGLIE. 

